Computing technology and networking technology have combined to produce extremely power means for telecommunication. However, further advances are to be expected and welcomed.
Portable electronic devices are now commonplace and increasing in sophistication and function. Portable electronic devices frequently combine the functionality of traditional cellular telephones, wireless personal digital assistants, handheld computers, wireless paging devices, media players, cameras and the like.
As portable electronic devices incorporate more powerful hardware, it is becoming possible to drastically increase functionality by simply installing upgrades to the computer's software and/or firmware. Since most portable electronic devices are also wirelessly networked, such upgrades can be effected over those wireless interfaces.
Portable electronic devices are also used as enterprise tools, whereby a business will provide portable electronic devices to each of its employees in order to allow those employees to communicate via the text and voice services offered by the portable electronic device. In the enterprise context, the information technology group of the enterprise will often be responsible for maintaining and servicing the portable electronic devices. Such maintenance and servicing functions will usually include the management of upgrades.
However, the wireless carrier to which the enterprise subscribes will also have the capacity to offer maintenance and service for the portable electronic devices, including the management of upgrades. Unfortunately the carrier's maintenance and service program may conflict with the enterprises' maintenance and service program, creating problems for the enterprise.